A nightly adventure
by Simbelmyrne
Summary: Elladan and Elrohir don't sleep at night... Why are they up running around? And what has Glorfindel's hair to do with it? (Childhood-story, non-slash) Now finally complete! :D
1. Chapter One

Title: A nightly adventure  
  
A raven haired elf slipped quietly through the dark and empty corridors. He glanced over his shoulders before he continued to half run to his destination. He did not want to be caught sneaking in the corridors in the middle of the night again.  
  
He turned around a corner to the left. He knew this way very well, he had walked it a millions of time, and this was not the first time he had walked it during night time. He drew his dressing gown closer to his slim body and shivered slightly. The way seemed longer in the night time than in the day time. Perhaps the reason for that was his condition. He needed to get to his destination and that quickly.  
  
He quietly ran down for a staircase, without even breathe too loud. Finally he started to get close and he rubbed his hand in anticipation. Suddenly he froze. He pricked his pointy ears. It had sounded like someone else was in the corridor. Or was he just imagining? Now his sensitive ears could not pick up any sound, so he continued his journey rapidly. / Finally! / he thought when he saw the two large wooden doors in the end of the corridor. He went closer, glanced over his shoulder again and grasped the door knob with a determined hand. He had longed for this moment the whole night.  
  
The kitchen.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
He sighed of relief when he finally was in safety. He had been hungry the whole night and evening. He and his brother Elladan had missed the dinner that evening, for they had been out entertaining themselves by practising archery in the woods. Their father, Lord Elrond, had been furious for they had long distant friends visiting and it had been important that the twins had attended. And when they did not..Elrond had sent them to their chambers, and get no food as punishment. The twins had been very crossed, and now Elrohir could not resist his hunger anymore. He needed food.  
  
He lit a candle to give light to the room. He went through the room, avoiding benches and tables. He directed his steps to the main larder and opened it. The look almost made him drool; lots of fruit, bread and vegetables. He put the candle on a table next to him, rolled up his sleeves methodically and started to gather his arms full of delicious food. When he was finished he directed his steps to the main doors, so he quickly could get back to his chambers. When he passed the wine larder he stopped and bit his lip. Could he manage to take a wine bottle to? He slowly turned around, facing the wine larder and somehow he managed to open the door without drop the food in his arms. He smiled mischievously at his success when his slender fingers grasped a cold bottle. But before he had time to hide or even react, the doors to the kitchen opened and a voice hissed:  
  
"Elrohir?!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Elrohir turned around rapidly and was not too surprised when he saw his identical twin, Elladan; standing in the door with a candle in his hand.  
  
"Elladan! Do not scare me like that again!"  
  
"I apologise. It is just that I had not expected to find anyone in here now. Though.." Elladan said, glancing at the food in Elrohir's arms. "I am not too surprised either, brother."  
  
He closed the doors quietly and walked towards Elrohir.  
  
"Have you found anything worth getting out of bed?"  
  
"Yes, a lot, dear brother!" Elrohir answered triumphal, while he put everything down on a wooden bench.  
  
"Very good, this will make us more than satisfied!" Elladan said and picked up an apple.  
  
Immediately Elrohir snatched the apple from Elladan's unprepared hands.  
  
"Do not start to eat here!" he hissed. "I know you. When you have started to eat, nothing can stop you! We cannot reveal ourselves, for if someone finds us here, he or she will definitely tell Ada. And if Ada knows we have been here..he will ground us for centuries, like if we were little elflings!"  
  
"But you are a little elfling, dear brother.." Elladan said and ducked when Elrohir threw the apple in his direction. "At least always in my eyes. And by the way, who is it that always leaves the dining table last of all? For sure, it is not me."  
  
This not Elladan did not manage to duck in time before a second apple flew through the air, and hit him at his forehead. It left a quite visible, red mark.  
  
"Ouch! It hurts." Elladan exclaimed, rubbing his forehead gently.  
  
"You deserve it, for your constant babbling. " Elrohir said, laughing at the facial expression of his brother.  
  
While Elrohir was trying to choke his laughter, Elladan quickly grabbed a soaking wet towel and ran towards his brother with the intensions to smack him in the face with the towel. Elrohir reacted quickly, and ran to the other side of the big room.  
  
"Catch me if you can!"  
  
"I will, just watch me!"  
  
They ran in circles, one fleeing and the other one chasing. Suddenly they heard footsteps outside in the corridor. Quick as the eye Elrohir put out the candles, and both of them stood absolutely still. They heard the footsteps walk by the door and eventually become weaker. Elrohir dared to whisper:  
  
"Is he gone?"  
  
"I think so..Why do you think it was a 'he'?"  
  
"Because the steps were heavy. No maiden would make such a noise, they are always very quiet." Elrohir answered seriously.  
  
Elladan chuckled and said sarcastically:  
  
"And that you know, for you are such an expert at maidens!"  
  
"Be quiet, you should not say anything!" Elrohir hissed, and added with a smooth voice: "Do you not remember what happened that time with..what was her name? Miltheniel? I am sure she has not forgotten."  
  
"Shh! I think we should drop this subject now. Let us instead take the food and go to our chambers."  
  
Elrohir could hear the annoyance in Elladan's voice, so he did not protest. Anyway, he would rather eat now, than keep teasing his brother. Tease his brother could he always do on the day, if he prepared to run when Elladan lost his temperament.  
  
"Where is the food?" Elladan asked after a while when nobody had moved or talked, just standing there in the complete darkness.  
  
"I do not know. I put it somewhere in here..Where are the candles? We need light." Elrohir said.  
  
"Do you think I know where the candles are? It was YOU that put them out! You should know where they are."  
  
"I put them here I think..Ouch!!"  
  
"What happened?" Elladan asked with a string of concern in his voice.  
  
"I hit my foot in a bench!" Elrohir winced.  
  
"Shh. I found another candle here. Wait.." Elladan said, while he was trying to light the candle.  
  
When Elladan finally managed to light the candle, they could see that the food was in the other side of the room, lying on a bench. They picked it up with great trouble, nearly dropping it.  
  
"Is it everything?" Elrohir asked and looked around.  
  
"I think so. We cannot leave anything here." Elladan said, trying to hold the candle up straight.  
  
"Are you afraid of not getting satisfied?" Elrohir said with an amused voice.  
  
"You are hopeless. Are we really brothers?" Elladan asked with a sigh.  
  
Elrohir pretended to think a while.  
  
"I do not think so. I mean, how could we be? Hm..Oh! I got it, we have the same parents, and we look just like each other, which are why we are brothers! Even twins, I can assure you."  
  
"How about stop being a fool, and get out of here?" Elladan said, now a bit tired of his so-called brother. The night time was definitely not the right time for a fight, brothers between.  
  
"Good idea. Actually, the best you have had today!"  
  
The brothers snuck out of the room, closed the doors and began the long, dark way back to their chambers with only a candle as guidance.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N I'm very unsure where this is going..Honestly. Review, and tell me if you want more. Please? :) 


	2. Chapter Two

A/N Thanks to those who reviewed, you made my day! I forgot to tell (but you guessed anyway), the twins are rather young here. I've read that the twins are a century older than Arwen so..Well, I'm going to be quiet now. Enjoy this chapter. :)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Is it to the left or to the right?" Elladan hissed to his brother.  
  
"I do not know! Wait, I am thinking." Elrohir answered, irritated.  
  
They stood with the food in their arms at a crossing, one corridor to their left, one to their right and on right in front of them. Elrohir narrowed his green eyes in the dark and thought sharply. After a while he said:  
  
"It is to the left. I think."  
  
"You *think*? Have you not memorized this way?" Elladan hissed and narrowed his just as green eyes too.  
  
"I have, but you have distracted me!"  
  
"Well, decide. We have not got all night and day."  
  
"How can you even be lost in your own home..? It is too many corridors. Far too many." Elrohir grumbled lowly for himself, and said a bit louder: "We should take the left corridor."  
  
They turned left and started to walk again, Elladan eyeing suspiciously at his brother. As they passed a large window with velvet curtains on the side, Elrohir stopped hesitantly and so did Elladan. The moonlight was shining through the window, and made the corridor now visible for their sensitive eyes.  
  
"Mm, Elladan?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I think this is the wrong way.."  
  
"What?"  
  
Elrohir squirmed slightly, and said after a while:  
  
"Yes..I can see it now. This is not our corridor. This is.."  
  
"Whose? Tell me!"  
  
"Ada's and Glorfindel's." the answer came.  
  
Elladan opened his eyes wide, almost as twice as wide as the normal size. Elrohir seemed to shrink under his brother's gaze. He shifted position uncomfortably.  
  
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Elladan hissed. "We have to get away from here. It is like you said, if Ada notice us here with food in our arms..he will kill us!"  
  
"Well, I never said that.." Elrohir began.  
  
"But you meant it."  
  
Elrohir looked at his brother and said calmly:  
  
"I am sure Ada is sleeping now, we do not have to worry, Elladan."  
  
Both of the twins knew that their father usually slept in his bed until dawn, but when it came to Glorfindel..The seneschal was often up on nights, and that the twins knew. Uncountable times they had been caught by Glorfindel while they were busy empty out one of the many larders in the kitchen. He always seemed to know which night they would show up in the kitchen, and when they, did he stood there and smiled his enigmatic smile. He almost seemed to read their minds. It was not often he reported the twins to their father though, just occasionally.  
  
"But which way is the closest to our chambers? Forward or backwards?" Elladan whispered to Elrohir.  
  
"Um, forward?"  
  
"No, I think backwards. If we go straight ahead we will end up in Arwen's corridor I think.."  
  
While the twins continued their whispering conversation, they never noticed the long, blond figure slipping out of one of the doors behind them. The twins jumped high, totally off guard, and almost dropping their food when the blond figure talked:  
  
"Well..what do we have here?? Elladan and Elrohir, again?"  
  
Slowly the twins turned around, trying to hide the food under their dressing gowns. But it was unnecessary, for Glorfindel had already seen it. He spoke again with a silken voice:  
  
"So, the sons of Elrond are out, stealing food in the middle of the night?"  
  
"We..we were just..er..Elrohir?" Elladan began.  
  
"Um..we.." Elrohir said, but he could not come up with a good lie that Glorfindel would buy. In fact, Glorfindel always seemed to know if they lied or were being honest. A true gift, since the twins did not hesitate to lie if they smelled a punishment on its way.  
  
"I am not blind, dear twins. I have eyes to see with." Glorfindel said. He went closer to Elladan and pulled in his gown, so the food was showing. "Aha."  
  
Elladan could not speak, for everything he could think of was his father's punishment if he was told about this. Elladan did not doubt a second that Elrond would be even more furious, that he had been earlier that evening. What could his punishment be now? For sure, Elladan knew that their father never would lay a hand on them, but he had other methods to punish them. A curfew order, perhaps. Not to talk with other persons for a long time, maybe. Elladan pulled himself together, looked in in Glorfindel's piercing blue eyes and begged:  
  
"Saes, Glorfindel, do not tell Ada! He will become so angry! Saes!"  
  
"Yes, he will be furious! Perhaps he..he..will decide that we cannot go to the spring ball or..that we will not be allowed to meet our friends for a long time! Saes, keep this a secret!" Elrohir pleaded to the older elf.  
  
Glorfindel narrowed his eyes and looked thoughtful at the begging twins in front of him. He really cared for them deeply, and did not want to see them unhappy. On the other hand..  
  
"Your father has made that choice that you two will go to bed without any food tonight. Do you know why?"  
  
"Yes." Elrohir answered quietly.  
  
"There were very important guests at the dinner tonight. Guests that should ha met all members of Elrond's family. But two were missing. Can you understand your father's wrath?"  
  
"Yes." Elrohir answered again, and Elladan nodded. This calm accusing was almost worse than get a rating.  
  
"Then, do you realise why I should inform your father that I caught you two here, with your arms full of food?"  
  
"We understand." Elladan said, feeling extremely guilty.  
  
"Good." Glorfindel said lightly with a little smile. "If you understand that, there is no need for me to tell him."  
  
The twins exchanged looks, and suddenly everything got so much better.  
  
"So you will not tell Ada then?" Elrohir asked hopefully.  
  
Glorfindel leaned forward to Elrohir with sparkling eyes and steeled a bunch of grapes from his arms.  
  
"No."  
  
"Thank you, Glorfindel! We will never forget this." Elladan promised, and he would have embraced Glorfindel if all the food has not been in the way.  
  
Glorfindel smiled, gave a slight bow and went in to his chambers again, chewing on the grapes.  
  
"Unbelievable. Did he just let us go?" Elrohir asked, not believing his eyes and ears.  
  
"Apparently. But now we MUST get to our chambers! Soon I will be starting to eat you up." Elladan said mischievously.  
  
"No, you would not dare." Elrohir said challenging.  
  
The twins started to go back the way they had come. After many turns and small fights, the brothers finally found themselves in their own corridor. They choose to go in to Elrohir's bedroom to eat up the food.  
  
"I am starving." Elrohir stated, dumping the food on his bed.  
  
"So am I." Elladan said, following his brother's example to throw everything at the bed.  
  
They sat down on the bed, and started to eat with a great speed.  
  
"Do you think Ada will suspect something?" Elladan said, while he was chewing mouthful of bread. "I mean, the servants must notice that it is food missing in the kitchen. We have taken food enough for perhaps ten people.."  
  
"I did not think of that. Valar, what if he finds out that way!" Elrohir said with a muffled voice, chewing on a pear.  
  
"Perhaps we could say it was Arwen.." Elladan mused.  
  
"He will see it for the lie it is, Elladan. How could she ever steal so much food and also *eat* it? Can you not come up with something better?"  
  
"Perhaps the servants will not notice. Let us hope so." Elladan said, yawning.  
  
The food was gone now, and both Elladan and Elrohir were more than satisfied. Elrohir started to yawn too. He said tiredly:  
  
"Elladan, please go to your own room and bed now."  
  
No answer.  
  
"Elladan?"  
  
But his brother did not answer; he had fallen asleep next to Elrohir. He looked so peaceful that Elrohir did not want to wake him up. He just mumbled to himself, while he lay down next to his brother, pulling in the sheets so it could cover both him and Elladan.  
  
"How typical for Elladan. Just fall asleep in *my* bed, and refuse to wake up..Spread him out like that so I get 2 inches to lie on..I bet he will take all sheets and pillows too, so I will be lying here, freezing.."  
  
But before Elrohir was finished with his complaint, he had fallen asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N I can think of hundreds of evil things that the cute twins can come up with in the middle of the night..(No, not slashy things!!). I just depends on if you will read (and review) it. :) Someone gave me the advice to get a beta reader. Sorry for being stupid, but what's a 'beta reader'? If somebody could explain that, I will consider it! :)  
  
Oh, I forgot:  
  
Adar - father  
  
Ada - dad  
  
Saes - please  
  
But you already knew that, didn't you? :) 


	3. Chapter Three

A/N *holds up a sign were we can read:"we love the twins"*  
  
Where can I get a beta reader? Anyone? Please?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ahh!!"  
  
Elladan awoke with a start when he heard the shriek, loud enough to wake the dead. First he did not know here he was. He lay in the middle of a bed, which not was his, in the middle of a large room, which was not his either. He rubbed his eyes sleepy and looked around in the dark room. His gaze fell upon a figure, lying on the floor next to the bed. The figure was trying to sit up with a great effort. Elladan swallowed nervously when he realised that the figure on the floor was his brother.  
  
Elrohir tried to sit up. He had awaked by a push in the back, and suddenly he lay on the floor, next to the bed, with an aching arm. He looked over the brink of the bed, and immediately he knew why he was on the floor. On the bed his brother Elladan sat and stared amusingly at him.  
  
/ Oops, not good. / Elladan thought when he saw his brother's angry features. Although it was not funny, Elladan could not suppress a little chuckle. His brother looked utterly funny. His dark hair stood on its end and his eyes looked like they would pop out of his head any minute.  
  
"Elrohir.. Um.. I.." Elladan started, when Elrohir finally managed to stand up and speak.  
  
"I demand for you to apologise!" Elrohir cut him off with a hiss.  
  
"For what?" Elladan asked mockingly and with a mischievous glimpse in his eyes.  
  
"For you, pushing me out of bed! I knew I would regret letting you sleep in my bed!" Elrohir replied and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"I am so sorry, dear brother. It was not my.. intension to push you out of the bed, and I will not do it again if I can remain sleeping here. Is that enough?" Elladan said and looked sweetly at his brother.  
  
"I hurt my arm. It aches terribly."  
  
Elladan sighed, and said, defeated:  
  
"You can have all five pillows, except for one."  
  
"Perfect!" Elrohir said brightly, forgetting his aching arm.  
  
He was just about to jump into bed again, when the bedroom door opened. Quickly the twins turned their heads to the figure in the doorway.  
  
"Ada?" Elrohir asked hesitantly.  
  
"Yes, it is me." Elrond answered.  
  
He closed the door and approached slowly the twins. He obviously came directly from bed, for he wore his nightgown loosely. Though his raven hair was as smoothly combed as usual.  
  
"Who was it that screamed?" Elrond demanded to know with a slightly worried voice. "What has happened?"  
  
Elrohir squirmed.  
  
"It was me." But you need not to worry. I fell out of bed, after being.. pushed, by Elladan."  
  
"Pushed?" Elrond repeated, tying to hold back a smile.  
  
"It was not my intention to push him, Ada. I slept, so I could not control my own movements." Elladan tried to defend himself.  
  
Elrond went closer to Elrohir, touched one of his shoulders and asked gently with glittering eyes:  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, I am." Elrohir replied, trying not to blush. This was embarrassing.  
  
"Good. Then I can go back to my own bed. Good night, my sons." Elrond said, heading for the door.  
  
"Good night, Ada." The twins said with one voice.  
  
Elrond stopped in the doorway, smiled and turned around.  
  
"Speaking of beds.. Why in Arda are you two sleeping in the same bed? To my knowledge you have not done that for many years."  
  
Elrohir opened his mouth, but could not come up with a good explanation, for he did not really know the answer either. Why were they sleeping in the same bed? Good question.  
  
Elladan shook his head at his twin, and said to their father:  
  
"Actually.. I do not know. We just felt for it, I guess. And it is so much cosier."  
  
Elrond smiled knowingly, and closed the door after him. Elrohir went to bed again, and stole the five pillows, which now belonged to him. The twins pulled a while in the sheets, so they would get exact as much each. Under many mumblings, they could finally lie down. Elladan sighed.  
  
"Elrohir, you do realise how loud you screamed, huh? Just like a girl.. I mean, if even Ada could hear you!"  
  
"Well, if you were me, you would have screamed even louder. And it would not have surprised me if you had cried as well." Elrohir answered stubbornly.  
  
That started a small pillow fight, Elladan trying to choke his brother with a pillow. When that did not work, Elladan changed tactic, and tried to strangle Elrohir with his bare hands instead.  
  
"Uff! It was a joke! Oww..!" Elrohir managed to say between the attacks.  
  
When Elladan felt satisfied with his revenge, they lay down again properly, ready to fall asleep. Elrohir shifted position a couple of times and sighed. He was not tired at all. And it was uncomfortable in the bed with two persons lying in it, too little space, although he had the best pillows. He waited a couple of minutes.  
  
"Elladan?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Are you sleeping?"  
  
"I almost was thank you very much."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Elrohir sighed again, pulling slightly in the sheets so it would cover his feet. He did not want to fall a sleep, which was good because he could not have done it, even if he wanted to.  
  
"Elladan..?"  
  
"Whassit?"  
  
"I cannot sleep."  
  
"I feel so sorry for you, Elrohir. Can you just let *me* sleep now? I really need to, you know." Elladan said tiredly.  
  
"No."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"Because I cannot sleep.." Elrohir began slowly. "..Then you should not sleep either."  
  
"And since do you decide whether I should sleep or not?"  
  
"Since now."  
  
"Why cannot you just be quiet and.." Elladan began, but was rather brutally cut off when Elrohir used all his strength to draw the sheets from Elladan. "Stop that!"  
  
"Shh! We are now going to plan what we are going to do the rest of the night." Elrohir said and smiled at his brother.  
  
"I do not see anything wrong with sleeping. Like normal people." Elladan grumbeled.  
  
Elrohir sat straight up in the bed, with his legs crossed. Elladan followed his example.  
  
"What time is it?" Elladan asked and yawned.  
  
"I think it is a half hour past midnight. Or something like that."  
  
Elladan frowned, irritated.  
  
"Then we have not slept for a long time, just an hour or so.. And now you want to sneak out of bed again? Is it not enough with the expedition to the kitchen, and be caught by Glorfindel?" Elladan said, taking a deep breathe to continue: "Why do you always have to do in the opposite way everybody wants you to do? You always break every rule and.. and.." Elladan paused, temporarily not remembering what he was going to say.  
  
"Are you finished?"  
  
"No. And every time Ada catch you doing something forbidden, like that time you stole six wine bottles and got ridiculously drunk and Glorfindel told Ada.. And somehow Ada always thinks that if you have broken some rule, *I* am involved too.. Always!"  
  
"Is this some form of speech or..?" Elrohir asked acidly.  
  
"Perhaps. You always keep getting me in troubles." Elladan said, stretching his legs. "I will not follow you out of this bed, I want to sleep."  
  
"Why not?!"  
  
"What part of: 'I want to sleep' do you not understand, Elrohir?"  
  
Elrohir, who did not want to sneak around in the corridors of the Last Homely House alone, decided to change tactic. He pouted, looked down at his hands and frowned slightly.  
  
"So you will not come with me?"  
  
"No."  
  
Elrohir looked at Elladan miserably, with quivering lips. Elladan glared sternly back, trying not to give in. But it became very hard when he saw glittering tears well up in his brother's eyes. / No. He is just faking it. I will not give in. / he thought stubbornly.  
  
"Saes?" Elrohir begged with a little voice, tears slowly running down his cheeks.  
  
Elladan sighed and gave up. He could not bear to see his twin's face so sad, even if he knew perfectly well that Elrohir was not crying genuinely. But what difference did it made? He did not want his brother shed a tear, genuine or false. Elladan leaned over to his brother and wiped away the tears from the pale cheeks.  
  
"As you wish, I give up. I will come with you. Just for your knowledge, you can be such a pain in.."  
  
Elrohir smiled, and suddenly his face was happy again, not showing any signs of tears in his eyes.  
  
"Thank you. You know, Elladan.. You have always been my favourite brother!"  
  
"I am your only brother." Elladan smiled wryly.  
  
"Yes, and therefore you are my favourite. And?"  
  
"'And' what?"  
  
"Are you not going to tell me that I am your favourite brother as well?"  
  
"Elrohir, you are definitely my favourite brother." Elladan sighed, pretending he said it against his will. But he really meant it.  
  
"Now, will you hear my plan for to night?" Elrohir smiled widely. "It is very clever!"  
  
"Tell me." Elladan answered and leaned back against the bedpost.  
  
This was going to be interesting.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	4. Chapter Four

A/N Mm'Kay, here's the next chapter. Sorry for the delay, I went through all the seven levels of Hell, because ff.net made it look like shit, so I had to change it to html format, and that's why it looks a bit different... Anyways. Thanks to beta reader Elisabeth Celebros. :)

Happy Molecule: I see your point and I kind of agree with you. But on the other hand I've always thought that twins (especially Elladan and Elrohir) have this special connection, which makes them best friends and very close to each other. And I think Elrond should understand that, since he has (okay, _had._) a twin brother himself. Thank you for the review! :D

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do _what_?" Elladan asked with a terrified voice.

"You heard me."

"Not really. Can you repeat it, please?" 

"My plan is for us to go into Glorfindel's chambers and put some red berries in his shampoo, so next time he washes his hair… He will be a complete red head."

Elladan could not believe what he heard. Thousands of thoughts rushed through his head and he did not know which question he should ask first.

"So you honestly mean that we are going to sneak into Glorfindel's bedroom, who, by the way, happens to be a respected Lord and a close friend to Ada, and mess with his private belongings?? And _why do you even consider it? Are you out of your mind?"_

"Actually, it was you that gave me the idea!"

"How??"

"You so cruelly reminded me about the incident with the wine bottles, and then I remembered how angry I was at Glorfindel for telling Ada…" Elrohir trailed off, frowning at the unpleasant memory.

"Of course he told Ada! I mean… What you did was wrong, and this is even worse! How could we possibly sneak into his bathroom, when he is sleeping in the bedroom? And I ask again: have you completely lost your mind?? Think of his reaction when he notices that he has _red hair!"_

"No, I have not lost my mind, just listen to me!" Elrohir said, leaning forward to stare at his twin. "If we can do it without being caught, he will probably know it was us, but he cannot tell Ada we did it, because he has no proof! And Ada has been in here, he knows that we are sleeping peacefully in here now…"

Elladan cut him off with a cough and said, "There is no way in Arda we can sneak through his bedroom while he is sleeping there. He will wake up immediately!"

"But that is if he really _is sleeping there…" Elrohir began with a self-confident smile._

"What do you mean?"

"All I am saying is that there is a chance that perhaps he is not in his room. He may not be sleeping now."

Elladan sighed and shifted position in the bed.

"And how do we now that?"

"We knock on his door, of course." Elrohir said, as if it was obvious. 

"Knock on his door?? Would not that be extremely foolish? I thought you could come up with at least something better than that! And what do we say if he answers and opens the door?"

"Then let us come up with something to say; but I assure you: he will not be in his bed!"

"If you say so…" Elladan said, shaking his head at his crazy twin.

Elrohir jumped out of the bed, dragging Elladan with him. 

"First we need some berries… We can get that in the kitchen, I think."

"A second expedition to the kitchen tonight?" Elladan asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Yes, it looks that way, doesn't it? I can hold the candle, just follow me. And walk as quietly you can!"

Elrohir lit a candle and opened the door to the corridor with Elladan right behind him. After a short argument about which direction the kitchen was in, they quietly started walking. After many turns, they came to a staircase and the kitchen was in the corridor to the right below the staircase. Elrohir turned to his brother.

"You can stay here and keep watch; meanwhile, I'll get the berries."

Elladan did not have the time to answer before his brother half ran down the stairs with the candle in his hand. Eventually, all Elladan could see was a light spot moving below the stairs, soon disappearing in a corridor. He stood all alone in the dark, slightly shuddering and thinking. / Why am I doing this, again? Oh yes. I promised. Why must I have him as a brother? But he is at least more fun than Arwen…/ He sat down on the first freezing step. / How are we supposed to accomplish this? It will never work! And _why _am I so easily talked into to something like this? And when is he going to be finished in the kitchen? I have been waiting forever. / 

A couple of minutes later, Elladan saw the light coming out of the corridor again. He stood up and waited for his brother to come up the stairs. 

"Finally!" He exclaimed.

"Look, I found them." Elrohir said and showed his palm. There was seven round, red, berries which looked like they begged to be eaten. 

"Good."

The twins started to walk again in the direction they had come, Elrohir holding both the candle and the berries. They turned round a couple of corners and eventually they neared Glorfindel's bedroom. 

"Wait," Elladan whispered and stopped. 

"What?" Elrohir whispered back.

Elladan turned around and walked back a few steps until he stood in front of two massive and ornately decorated wooden doors. One of the doors was half open. 

"What?" Elrohir asked again.

"Shh…" 

Elladan strained his ears and stood completely still. He had thought he had heard something move in the library. He moved closer to the opening and there it was again! From the library came the faint sound of someone turning a page in a book. Slowly, Elladan looked into the room. Moonlight flowed in through a large window to the left, and nearly the whole library was lit by the silvery light. Elladan narrowed his eyes and looked around until his eyes fell upon a figure sitting in a chair with his back facing the doors. Elladan immediately recognized the figure as Glorfindel, although he just saw his back. The golden hair that had earned the elf his name was not something one could easily confuse for another's. Glorfindel was absorbed in a book and it did not look like he would be going away anytime soon. Elladan slowly with-drew his head and gesticulated to his twin to keep walking. When they reached next corner, Elrohir spoke:

"What did you see in there?"

"It was Glorfindel, reading!" Elladan smiled. "You were right; he is not in his bedroom tonight."

"Of course I was right! I am always right!" Elrohir said, very satisfied at the turn of events.

"That could be discussed." 

"Well, let us continue. Perhaps Glorfindel will decide to take the book to his bed."

The twins continued and after a few minutes they finally found themselves in the correct corridor. Elrohir carefully opened the door he knew was Glorfindel's, and slid into the room closely followed by Elladan, who quietly closed the door. Finally they could take a breather. Elladan looked questioningly at Elrohir.

"So… Now we are here. What next?"

~*~*~*~*~*~


	5. Chapter Five

A/N I just figured out that I suck at computers. Btw, I have _no idea how an Elven bathroom looks like, so it won't be so many details... Thank you for the reviews! :D *does the happy dance* _

Disclaimer: I keep forgetting this… I don't own anything; everything belongs to our hero J.R.R Tolkien. I'm just playing around with his creation. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well, I guess we should try to find Glorfindel's bathroom…" Elrohir answered, but he did not move. He just stood there and looked around in the room. They had never been in Glorfindel's bedroom before, just simply because they had nothing to do in there. If he knew they were in there now without his permission, he would be very angry. 

The atmosphere was airy, easy to breathe. In the other side of the room there were two glass doors, with long draperies at each side. On of the doors was open a bit and the cool night wind blew into the room, and even reached the twins. Elladan was the first to move. He walked hesitantly further into the room. When he noticed that Elrohir still stood at the same spot, he waved impatiently at him. 

"Hurry! I do not want to linger here longer than necessary!"

Finally Elrohir moved. He smiled slightly at his brother's impatience and walked towards him. 

"Which door leads to the bathroom?" Elrohir asked, looking around. There were a few doors to choose between, and they all looked the same.

"How would I know? I have never been here before." Elladan replied pointedly. 

Elrohir furrowed and shook his head to get his raven hair away from his face. The cool breeze from the glass doors, blowing through his hair made him regret that he had not braided his hair earlier that night. He looked around again and his eyes fell upon Glorfindel's unmade bed. It looked so soft and inviting… He put down the candle he held in his hand. 

"Perhaps this…" Elladan said, opening a wooden door. But it turned out to be a closet, full to the edge of clothes. "Oh, a closet."

He tried another door, but it was a study room. He turned around to see if his brother had had any success. Elladan dropped his jaw when he saw what his brother was doing. Elrohir was jumping in Glorfindel's large bed, with a big, happy smile on his face. In every jump he almost touched the ceiling with his outstretched arms. Elladan could not believe his eyes. 

"Elrohir!!" he hissed angrily and walked up to the bed, grabbing his brother at the wrist and pulling him down at the floor again. 

"Sorry." Elrohir mumbled when he could stand up straight again. "I could not resist."

"Well, you should have! While I am looking around for the right door, you are _jumping in Glorfindel's bed?! Do I have to remind you that this originally was _your_ idea?" _

"I know perfectly well that it was mine idea…" Elrohir said and opened a random door, so he would give the false impression that he knew exactly what he was doing. 

To Elladan's big irritation it happened to be the right door, the door to the bathroom. But when he saw Elrohir's winning smile, he could not be angry so he just chuckled.

"That was just luck. As always when it comes to you."

The twins walked into the bathroom and started search for Glorfindel's shampoo. Elladan opened a small wooden locker and searched through it. Eventually he found a small bottle. He opened the bottle and it had a lovely smell of honey.

"Elrohir!" he said urgently. "I have foun- Stop look at yourself in the mirror and come here!"

Elrohir mumbled something and walked away from the mirror, taking up the berries from a pocket in his nightgown. Elladan gave air to a sudden thought.

"How can only seven berries make Glorfindel's hair all red? Should it not be more?"

"No, it should be enough with seven." Elrohir said and shook his head. "A friend once told me how he had tried to dye his brother's hair red, just like this. And he only used five berries!"

"Five? How is that possible?"

"I do not know." Elrohir smiled. "But I know one thing; his brother used to have black hair, just as you and me, and after… His hair was as red as blood. I almost felt sorry for him." Now Elrohir's smile was evil. 

"But do you not think it is a pity to dye Glorfindel's hair? I mean, his hair is perhaps even more beautiful than..than... Grandma's!"

"Sure, I see what you mean. But think of how funny he will look! And do you not want to get a revenge on him? I surely want to…"

"Well, as I said; I was not involved in the wine-bottles-incident. You were on your own, so why would I want to get a revenge on him?" Elladan said, lifting an eyebrow. 

"Then pretend you have, so we can get this done!" Elrohir hissed, tired of all talking, which anyway only would lead to that his twin had the last word.

Elrohir took the first berry between his thumb and index finger and carefully squeezed it, so the fruit juice dropped into the bottle he held in his other hand. He repeated the procedure until all the berries was emptied out from fruit juice, and his fingers were slightly red. Elladan looked down in the bottle.

"I cannot see anything; it is too dark in here." he said and walked up to the only window in the bathroom and gazed down in the bottle again. "Look Elrohir!"

"What?"

"The liquid has almost kept its former golden colour. It has just gone a shade darker, hardly visible!" 

Elrohir came closer.

"Yes, that was what he said…" he mused, looking in the bottle.

"Who?"

"My friend! Do you _ever_ listen to me?"

"Well, you talk a lot… It is difficult to always remember what you say. And it is in the middle of the night now." 

Elrohir snorted loudly and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sorry. Well, let us at least hope that Glorfindel will not notice anything."

"Yes, and I think we should leave now." Elrohir said and put the bottle back in the locker. 

"Good idea. Our mission here is fulfilled." Elladan said with a smile and directed his steps to the closed door. "You know, dear brother… I actually never thought we would manage to do this without being cau-" 

He froze with his hand on the doorknob. He heard how the door into Glorfindel's bedroom was being opened, and steps coming into the room. Elrohir heard it as well, and he did not move. The brothers exchanged terrified looks and Elladan put one of his ears onto the door and listened carefully. Then he pulled in his brother's collar to draw him near, to whisper in his pointed ear:

"Glorfindel is back. And he has got company."

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N I disrespectfully used the idea I got from your latest review, Tamzin. I hope it's okay! :) 


	6. Chapter Six

A/N Long chapter today (in my opinion at least…). Yayness! :) Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Don't own. Wish I did though, but you can't get everything you want. I've recently discovered that… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Company as in girl company?" Elrohir whispered back with a string of amusement in his voice. 

"What? I think so." Elladan put his ear against the door again. "Yes, it is a girl… What did you thought?" 

"Nothing." Elrohir pressed his palm against his mouth, his body shaking with silent laughter.

"Stop that. Stop laughing!" Elladan hissed, his fingers digging into his brother's arm. "This is not funny! We have to get out of here! Imagine if Glorfindel finds us here… He will most definitely kill us! Or even worse; make us to his personal slaves in exchange for not telling Ada!"

Elrohir, who was strangely calm, tried to calm down his brother the best he could.

"Shh! I think he is quite busy now, Elladan" he quietly said, bending up Elladan's fingers from his arm. "We are safe here."

"Safe? _Safe? Perhaps for the moment when Glorfindel is entertaining himself with that maiden, but how about later? What if Glorfindel wants to take a bath, or _wash his hair _or anything!? We are in a trap, Elrohir, and we must get out somehow!" Elladan drew his breath after the long speech._

Elrohir looked hesitantly at his brother, and then back at the thick wooden door, hoping Glorfindel would not hear them talking. But obviously he did not, for he had more entertaining business to deal with now, than suspect the Peredhil twins to be standing in his bathroom.

"You have right, indeed… We should get out of here, while he is occupied." Elrohir said silently and turned to his twin. 

"But how?" Elladan sighed.

Two pair of eyes travelled around the small and dark room. Exactly at the same time they fell upon the only window.

"Are you thinking the same as I?" Elladan whispered, looking at the window doubtingly. 

"It seems like we are going to take a trip outside tonight, dear brother." Elrohir whispered back, trying not to think too much of that fact that they actually were on the second floor. 

Elladan quickly went over to the window, opening it carefully.

"We can probably climb out here. And Elrohir, look! It grows a tree not so far from here, perhaps just a couple of metres! And a quite steady branch _almost reaches us… We can make it if we really try." _

Elladan turned around, slightly shivering from the cool night breeze, which was blowing into the before quite warm room. He furrowed when he saw his brother stand with his ear pressed against the door to the bedroom. 

"Elrohir! We are going to escape, not spy on Glorfindel! That is rude, and you know it." 

Elrohir put his index finger to his lips.

"Shh…"

"_Elrohir."_

"You cannot honestly tell me that you do not want to hear what they are doing? I am definitively very curious." Elrohir whispered, still with his ear on the door.

Elladan debated with himself for a second. If they did not hurried up now, they could be caught by Glorfindel. But on the other hand, it would not do any harm if they stayed a bit longer… Glorfindel anyway did not know they were there now. And it was rather fun, because he did not have any official partner, so it was interesting to find out who this lucky girl could be. Eventually Elladan's curious side won, and he made his brother company at the door, his ear pressing against the wood. He smiled wickedly at his twin, who returned an identical smile. They could hear Glorfindel's smooth voice in the other room.

"Would you care for some wine, my lady?"

"Yes, it would be lovely." a giggling voice replied.

The twins looked at each other and shared the same thought. Poor girl. It would not take long until she would fall for Glorfindel's beauty and mysteriousness. He was a big prey for practically half of the females of Imladris, and even some males, so this elf maiden had to be proud over herself. 

"There you go."

"Thank you."

Elrohir guessed that Glorfindel had given the maiden one of his piercing looks with his eyes, and by judging of the maidens slightly breathless 'thank you', Elrohir was almost sure. / Interesting. / he thought.

"You look tired. Do you want me to massage your shoulders? People say I am very good at it…" Glorfindel's gently voice said after a while. 

"I would appreciate that, Glorfindel." The maiden's voice still sounded a bit breathless.

The twins could barely hold back their laughter when they heard how Glorfindel put down his glass and walked over the floor until he found his goal. Shortly after that the twins could hear the maiden sigh of pleasure. Glorfindel said something in a low and seductive voice, so low that the twins barely could hear it.

"You are so beautiful; it hurts to look at you."

Then it went all quiet, and suddenly a thought hit Elladan's mind and he almost panicked. 

"Elrohir, come on, we must leave now!" he hissed and grabbed his brother's wrist, dragging him to the window.

"Why?? What are they doing?" Elrohir whispered back. He did not understand why his brother suddenly became so panicked and why it was all quiet in the other room.

"_Guess, dear brother. I __do not want to listen to what they probably are going to next, so it is better to leave. __Now." _

"All right, all right." Elrohir replied. "It started to get boring anyway…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

The twins stood looking out from the window. Nobody moved. 

"You go first." Elladan said shortly.

"Why me?"

"Because I say so."

"That is not a real reason."

"Now it is."

"You cannot decide what I shall do and not do."

"Oh, I can."

"Why?"

"Because I am the oldest, now climb out!"

"Sure, I will go first. Just because you are not brave enough…"

"Do you want to climb out by yourself, or do you want me to push you?"

Elrohir glared at his twin and turned to the window to climb out. But it turned out to be more difficult than both he and Elladan had expected.  He climbed up on the window ledge, so he sat with his long legs hanging out on the outside of the house. He spotted the branch in the dark, which his brother had been talking about. It was not too far away, and if he reached really far perhaps he would be able to grab it. Unless he did not fall down onto the ground of course. 

"How is it going, Elrohir?" he could hear his brother ask.

"Not so good. How can I grab it without falling down?" 

"Can you not…jump?"

"No, I cannot jump! Do you think I want to kill myself?"

"You do not _die _if you fall down, but you will probably get in lot of pain."

Elladan scanned the distance between the window and the branch. He poked at his brother, who still was sitting in the window. 

"Elrohir, if you lean out, with me holding your waist, you can grab it without falling down!" 

Elrohir mused over the suggestion for a second. It would most likely work… If his twin was strong enough. 

"All right. Let us try that." Elrohir said, and felt like he was going to make the biggest mistake of his life, if you do not count that time he had told Arwen a big hairy monster lived in her closet and just waited for her to fall asleep, so he could eat her up. After that, she had not slept properly for five months. 

Elladan slid his arms around his brother's waist, holding on tightly while Elrohir was leaning out. Elrohir let out a muffled sound when the arms around his waist dug into his stomach. 

"I got it!" Elrohir said, and Elladan let go of his waist.

For a moment Elladan almost thought his brother had fallen, but when he narrowed his eyes he could see a figure hanging by its arms and legs in the branch. 

"Did you make it?" he asked Elrohir. He did not dare to call out too loud. 

"Yes." the reply came. "Now it is your turn." 

Elladan climbed up in the window, and sat down on the window ledge. Then he realised the weak spot in his plan. There was nobody to hold his waist! He saw how his brother climbed to the tree trunk. Elladan took a deep breath, hoping for the best, and reached out to the branch with one hand, the other hand holding the window ledge. He smiled winningly when his hand grasped the rough bark of the branch. He swallowed hard and went for it. He swung himself and grabbed the branch with his other hand and his legs. He climbed forwards to the tree trunk, where his brother was waiting. 

"Elladan!"

"Uff. So, we made it" Elladan said and stood up on the branch, holding onto the trunk.  

Elrohir smiled, hardly visible in the dark. 

"Of course."

"Perhaps we should climb down to the ground as well. What do you think?" 

"Good idea." 

Elrohir took the lead. Usually he and Elladan were excellent tree climbers, but it was more different now. The thick tree top prevented the moonlight to light up their way, and they were also wearing long night gowns, which made it even more difficult. The pace was slow and Elrohir was the first person at the ground. He looked up at his brother, who currently had some problem. 

Elladan's night gown had got stuck in the bark, and he was furiously pulling in it. Suddenly a ripping sound broke the silence and he felt the cool air blow onto his stomach. 

"Elladan, what are you doing?" Elrohir's voice was irritated.

"I am admiring the view. It is lovely."

"_What?"_

"No, this stupid night gown is killing me!"

"Take it off then." Elrohir teased from the ground.

"Are you insane? I am not going to run around here naked! I can handle this…uff…perfectly…well. And without your…ouch…help!"

When Elladan was finished talking, he finally was on the ground. 

"You see?" he smiled, suddenly feeling much more light-hearted.

Elrohir laughed and said:

"I see. Come on, we are still not completely safe yet."

The brothers started to walk at the direction they knew an always unlocked back door was, meanwhile they were laughing for no particular reason at all. Perhaps because they both looked rather funny, leaves in their hair, dirt in their face and rips in their clothes. But mostly because they were very tired, and tiredness starts bursts of laughter with the sons of Elrond.

When they came inside, they started to run at their chambers. Luckily no one heard the running feet through the halls and corridors of the Last Homely House, and they came back unseen and unheard. 

"Elladan?" Elrohir asked when his brother opened the door to his bedroom.

"Yes?" Elladan said, wondering if Elrohir was going to ask if he could sleep in his bed. 

"Goodnight." 

"Goodnight, Elrohir. We will see each other tomorrow at the breakfast I guess?"

Elrohir smiled mischievously.

"Yes, we will. And we will se Glorfindel as well... Hopefully in a new hair colour." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N Sorry, I got slightly carried away there with the Glorfindel-part. ~_^;; Anyways… Next chapter will probably be the last. Yeah. Review! Pretty please with pointed ears on top? 


	7. Chapter Seven

A/N I'm so sorry it took so long time for this chapter. My excuses: a) I've started school again and…gah! and b) my mum nag at me how much time I spend on the internet. Where did she get THAT from? So, yeah. Anyways, this is the last chapter, and I would like to thank… *clears throat* everyone of my reviewers, especially Tamzin and Elanhín, and of course Elisabeth Celebros who is my beta. :D Kisses to everyone! 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Elladan woke up by a sudden urge to laugh hysterically and squirm. He could feel that somebody sat in the foot end of his bed, tickling his feet. He was not too surprised when he realised that it was his twin brother, sitting cross-legged in his bed, who assaulted his feet. When did he come in into the bedroom? 

"Elrohir, please stop that." Elladan mumbled, turning around so he lay flat on his stomach with his face buried in the soft pillow. He drew the sheets closer to his body and hoped his brother would get the hint and leave.

But Elrohir did not give up that easily. He pulled the sheets from Elladan with a sudden movement and smiled winningly when Elladan angrily sat up. 

"Good morning, dear brother. Did you sleep well?" Elrohir asked sweetly.

"I did, until you so brutally woke me up." Elladan answered lowly, narrowing his eyes.

"Good." Elrohir threw the sheets at Elladan so he was buried under them. Elrohir rose from the warm bed; he was already fully clothed. He directed his steps to Elladan's closet and opened it.

"Elrohir, what are you doing?" Elladan managed to ask when he had freed himself from the sheets. 

 "I am looking for some clothes for you to put on." Elrohir answered while he searched through Elladan's clothes. "Elladan! You have about two times more clothes than I have…! Wait… I recognise this robe. It is mine!"

"No, it is not." the nervous answer came from the bed.

Elrohir eyed suspiciously at his brother, not knowing if he could believe him. He decided to drop the subject and do more important things instead. He held up a silvery tunic and looked at it closely. 

"This will do."

"Hello? Excuse me, Elrohir, but they are my clothes and my closet. I am capable of choosing my clothes all by myself," Elladan said, his voice dripping irony. 

"Not from the bed," Elrohir replied, with a grin.

Elladan rose from the bed with a great effort and walked over to his brother and snatched the tunic from his hands. 

"Thank you very much."

Elrohir just smiled and sat down on the bed again. 

"And exactly why are you in such a hurry? It is not like the breakfast is going to run away or anything," Elladan said, while he was dressing and thinking all the while of how warm and comfortable his bed was.... 

Elrohir lay down full length on the bed with a happy smile on his features.

"You cannot seriously tell me that you do not know why we have to be early in the breakfast hall!" he laughed from his position on the bed.

Elladan thought for a while, which was difficult because he was a bit slow when it was so early in the morning. Suddenly it hit him: Glorfindel! That was why his brother had woken him up and was in such a hurry; not just because he was hungry. Elladan went into his bathroom, washed away the dirt from his face quickly and drew his fingers through his hair in an attempt to make it less untidy, which did not succeed, so he braided it rather carelessly. When he was finished he went out in the bedroom again and looked at his brother, who was still lying on the bed.

"So, I am ready. Elrohir?"

Elladan sneaked up to his brother. Elrohir's eyes were open, though they were in the dreamlike state of sleeping. Elladan sighed heavily. He could not believe it, his brother had fallen asleep. He poked at Elrohir and called his name, until Elrohir started to move. 

"Mmm… What?" he mumbled and sat up. 

"You are unbelievable!" Elladan said, shaking his head. "You tell me to wake up, I am gone for two minutes and you manage to fall asleep!"

"I was not asleep." Elrohir tried to defend himself.

"Then what were you doing?"

"I was… meditating." 

"Oh, you were?"

"Yes."

"Well, let us not waste more time on arguing about you falling asleep-"

"I did not."

"Sorry. Let us not waste any more time on arguing about you…_ meditating_, as we should be going," said Elladan, with a hint of a smile. 

Elrohir got up, grumbling, and the Peredhil twins made their way to the breakfast hall. 

~*~

The breakfast hall was fairly empty. Just a few elves that had early duties sat spread out in the great hall, talking, quietly. It was indeed early, even for elves. The twins spotted Imladris' Lord in the middle of the room, sitting alone at a large, wooden table, reading some papers while he was eating. Elladan put his arm in front of Elrohir, to stop him from going any further. 

"Elrohir," he whispered, "Is it a good or bad thing that Ada sits here if Glorfindel comes in?" 

"Ehh… Bad, I think. But that depends on Glorfindel's reaction."

"What if he does not show up?" 

"Believe me, he will." Elrohir assured. 

Elladan lifted his eyebrows and chuckled quietly. 

"We have had the luck on our side until now; let us hope we still have it." 

The twins walked over to Elrond and joined him at the table. 

"Good morning, Ada" they said in unison. 

"Good morning, little elflings." Elrond answered with a soft smile. He did not seem as angry as he had been the previous evening. That was a good sign.

Elladan and Elrohir started to eat their bread and fruit, while they were listening to their father, who was now speaking to them. 

"…very good idea, just for a year or perhaps two, or three if you would like to…" Elrond said to them.

"Mhm," murmured Elladan, not really paying attention. He and his brother were glancing constantly at the door while they were eating, looking forward to Glorfindel's entrance. 

"…you will have your own _talan, and you will be trained by a very good archer…" Elrond continued, skimming through the papers again.  _

Elladan sighed. Their father almost bored them to death with his constant talk and in a few hours the twins would probably not be able to recall this conversation. All they wanted was to see Glorfindel and his, hopefully, new hair colour. 

"…perhaps Haldir of the Galadhrim, he is very skilful…"

Elladan sighed quietly again and looked at his brother, pretending he was listening to their father. Elrohir looked utterly bored and he played with a left over apple on his plate. He was not quite as good as Elladan at hiding how bored he actually was. Elladan kicked him slightly under the table. Since they had both finished eating by now, their only legitimate reason for lingering at the table was to… listen to Elrond. The problem was that his voice was so smooth and drowsy.

"…to stay in a different environment… So, what do you two s-" 

Elladan glanced at Elrond, to see what made him stop talking all of a sudden. Elrond was staring at the door opening, his eyebrows lifted in disbelief. Elladan followed his gaze and his mouth fell open. In the door opening, stood Glorfindel. His once golden mane seemed to be on fire, shining now a violent crimson. 

Glorfindel saw them sitting at the table and he walked over to them with a great determination. 

"Glorfindel…" Elrond said slowly. "What ever has happened to your hair?"

Elladan could not look at Glorfindel as he felt the laugh bubble in his throat. He hid his broad smile behind his right hand, and dared to gaze at his brother. Elrohir compressed his lip, staring down at his plate, not trying to laugh out loud. His face was slightly red and his whole body was shaking by withdrawn laughter. Elladan looked at Glorfindel again. Their quest had succeeded! Now they just had to watch his reaction. But something did not seem right, Glorfindel did not look angry, which was kind of strange. His face was as neutral as it generally appeared, showing no emotion. 

Glorfindel ignored Elrond's question.

"My Lord, I came to talk to Elladan and Elrohir. Could you excuse us?"

"Of course," responded a very puzzled Elrond. 

He wanted to talk with them? Elladan began to feel slightly panicked as he slowly rose, not daring to refuse to follow Glorfindel. Elrohir rose from the table as well, with shaky legs. The brothers followed Glorfindel's proud figure out from the hall out in the corridor, none of them saying a word. Both brothers were very afraid of what might come. 

Elladan was thinking rapidly of thousands of false excuses. They had not been in Glorfindel's bedroom, they had been sleeping all night, Glorfindel had taken the wrong shampoo bottle… 

The only thing Elrohir could think of was different old incidents involving him and how Glorfindel always caught him, and told Elrond. //But this time he has no proof. He cannot tell it was us.// thought Elrohir, desperately.

"Um… Glorfindel?" Elladan dared to break the silence.

"Yes?" Glorfindel replied, slowly turning around to face them.

Elladan's courage almost disappeared when he saw Glorfindel's unnaturally calm face. 

"What did you want to talk about with us?" 

"I think you know that. But we will not discuss it out here, just follow me." 

Elrohir, who had gone from being highly entertained by Glorfindel's hair to a feeling like a frightened little rabbit, suddenly drew courage from an unknown source, and said, rather challengingly:

"And if we do not wish to discuss it...?" He let the sentence hang. 

Glorfindel took a step closer Elrohir.

"Then I will just have to force you."

He grabbed each twin by their upper arm and dragged them along the corridor. Even though Elladan and Elrohir wriggled and squirmed as hard as they could, they could not free themselves from the strong warrior of Gondolin. He just dragged them as if they were two towels. When he reached his goal, a small door, he let go of Elladan's arm and opened it. He led them into a small study room, with a table in the middle of the room and bookcases along the walls. He closed the door quietly and turned to the twins. 

"So," he said and looked at the twins. 

Elladan and Elrohir just swallowed nervously and were silent. Glorfindel lifted his hand and drew it through his red hair, making it fall like a drape against his cheek. 

"You see this? My hair is red. Not blond, red." 

"We can see that. Really nice colour actually, it matches well with…with…" Elladan trailed off. 

"…err... your eyes." Elrohir finished the sentence, wavering slightly under the stern gaze of his elder.

Glorfindel lifted one eyebrow, without saying something, which made the twins even more nervous, if that was possible. 

"Very wise decision to dye your hair, Glorfindel…"

"I would do it my self if I just had the courage…"

"It is almost even more beautiful than your golden hair…"

"Yes, almost… Really…" 

"Absolutely… Just…"

"…perfect."

When neither of the twins could not come up anything more to say, there was an awkward silence. 

"Are you two finished?"

The twins looked at each other quickly.

"I think so." Elrohir said. 

"I happen to know that you two are responsible for this." Glorfindel said and pointed at his hair. "Do not deny it; just by looking at your faces I can see that my guess is right. I do not know _how you managed to sneak into my bathroom; I just know that you _did _it."_

"Then what if we did it? You cannot prove anything to Ada, he will not believe you!" Elrohir said, starting to get angry. 

"Elrohir, shh…" Elladan mumbled. 

"Oh, I cannot?" Glorfindel asked with a silken voice.

"No, you cannot!" Elrohir said, his eyes flashing of anger. "Listen to this: we did it and it was my idea from the beginning. We put berries in your shampoo; we _are _responsible for your new hair colour! Satisfied? But do not worry; the colour vanishes after a few months…" 

Elladan sighed, closed his eyes momentarily and rubbed his temples. That was so typical for his hasty twin, and he would probably get to regret it awfully, later on. Why was Elrohir so thick sometimes?

Glorfindel took a few steps closer Elrohir, who bravely stood his ground. 

"Elrohir, you do not seem to understand." he said slowly, with a perilous voice. "Everything does not have to go through your father. I can handle things all by myself, you see."

"Wha-what do you mean?" Elrohir asked with a small voice, pretending he was not afraid of the older elf, which he of course was. He was terrified. 

Glorfindel grabbed Elrohir by his collar, their faces just inches apart. 

"Elrohir, if I were you I would be very careful in the future," Glorfindel commented and smiled dangerously. "I am tired of your little 'jokes' and I hope you understand that. Do I make myself clear?"

"You are not my father, you cannot decide what I should do and not do," answered Elrohir stubbornly, still not wanting to give up or apologise. 

Glorfindel smiled coolly again and let go of Elrohir's collar. 

"No, I am not, but I am still your tutor. Remember that. Be careful." 

He shot Elladan a glance, almost as if wanting to say "That goes for you too." The elf turned and walked out, closing the door behind him. 

Elladan was too shocked to move, he could only stare at a not so important spot on the floor. Elrohir straightened himself up, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. 

"So, what now?"

Elladan slowly turned his head to look at his brother.

"Is that all you can say?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you not hear him?!" Elladan demanded, raising his voice. "He is planning something! He will not let us slip out the net so easily." 

"He is just trying to threaten us, he will do nothing." Elrohir replied with a calming smile. 

"You know him, Elrohir. He is both smart and dangerous if he wants to be." Elladan winced, biting his lip.

"What is wrong, Elladan? Are you afraid?" Elrohir laughed.

"No, I am certainly not. I just think it was highly unnecessary for you to act like you did… Why did you not just apologise?"

"Me? What about _you_? Why did not _you_ apologise?" Elrohir said, slightly offended. 

"Because this was originally your idea, I was barely helping!"

"You are as much involved in this as I am." 

"No, I am not."

"Let us not discuss this anymore, it is just tiring. It does not matter." Elrohir said, sighing.

Elladan was extremely surprised. When did his brother get this mature? 

"You are right." he said.

"Do you want to take a walk? Or perhaps have a riding competition?" Elrohir asked merrily, completely changing subject. 

"Yes! That would be fun!" Elladan said and felt light hearted again. 

In this manner did the Peredhil twins push away every thought of Glorfindel and other such terrifying things. 

~*~

Glorfindel quietly walked through the hall of the Last Homely House. He was heading to the twins corridor. He turned around a corner, trying not to be too loud, although anger was boiling inside of him. His hair! His lovely hair, which he was named after, was ruined. Many times he had chosen to turn a blind eye to when the twins played little pranks, because they were so adorable. But this time they had gone too far, particularly Elrohir.  

Glorfindel stopped for a second and put his hand in his pocket. They were still there. Good. He started to walk again, trying to ignore the looks of amusement he got from people he passed. He would teach Elrohir a lesson. 

~*~

Elladan tried to comb his newly washed hair in front of the mirror in his room. He smiled when looked at his reflection. It had been a good day, he had won two races of three with the horses, and his brother had been pouting a half-hour after that. But now they were in their own rooms, preparing for dinner. Once again their father had an oh-so-important dinner he wanted the twins to attend to. This time, however, the twins actually managed to remember it, and planned to be there in time so they could make their father glad. 

When Elladan was ready combing his hair, he walked to his closet and opened it, pondering over what robe he would wear. He chose a maroon coloured with golden embroidery at the collar and the sleeves. When he was finished dressing and his hair had dried, he sat down in a chair with a book, waiting.   

Suddenly he heard his brother scream at the top of his lungs in his room across the corridor. Elladan threw away the book and ran out of his room and into his brother's. When he came in he saw Elrohir stand in the middle of the room with despair written in his face. 

"Elladan!"

"What is it?!" 

"Look!"

Elladan's eyes grew wide with shock when he looked at his brother. His jaw dropped in astonishment as he said slowly, "Elrohir… Why is your hair… red??"

The End. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N I just wanted to say: for a couple of days ago I saw Pirates of the Caribbean. And it kicked major ass!! :D I was blown away by the hotness of Orlando Bloom and the hilariousness of Johnny Depp. Dude, it was so awesome. :D


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